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Barbie's garden Bloggers Harvest Day Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Food Garden

If I had to add up all the time spent in my garden, the vegetable patch would win, hands down!! It takes so much time and love – in all kinds of weather! But the rewards are, for me, so worth it! The incredible bounty I collect makes my heart glow! It brings the best knowledge and experience every new season and the veggies are getting better and sweeter!! Even my family are feeling the love! They too have veggie gardens of their own now! Getting their hands in the soil and gathering their own harvests!! Makes me smile!!

The Peas were a great crop this season – they were all so sweet and they were all from heirloom seeds bought from Livingseeds.co.za!

Strawberries in hanging baskets – they seem to be doing really well. Last time I tried growing them, they were eaten up before we saw one!! Maybe the position off the grown could be the reason!

[one_half]Lush and full of greens!![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Herbs and vegetables grow side-by-side[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Peas, lettuces, Brussel Sprouts & Calendulas[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Glorious peas this year – super sweet![/one_half_last]

[one_half]Pyrethrum flowers growing as a natural repellent![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Swiss chard abundant with broad beans[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Celery[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Cilantro – Coriander was a great harvest[/one_half_last]

Brassicas (sprouting broccoli) with Spring Onions, Chamomile in the foreground and Pyrethrum in the background. Everything carefully positioned so each one helping the other. Did you know that Chamomile is a helper plant so you can plant them next to a weak plant that needs support. Pyrethrum is a natural pesticide, so no bug sprays were ever needed here!

I always love to have lots of variety with herbs and flowers growing next to all my vegetables. There seems to be a symbiosis and each plant seems that much stronger.

My next post will showcase all the beautiful blooms!!

Happy gardening xxxx

 

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Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Perenniels

Gutter Garden

I have heard the saying, “Weeds are flowers that don’t know that they have to grow in a row”. Well, I have found a new respect for this common plant – my new name for a weed.

The Dictionary defines a weed: weed |wiːd|noun: “a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants.” Well, that is not always true. I have a place for “weeds” in my garden and they are very much wanted. Nettles is one common plant that I use often to make teas and green fertiliser. Plantain is a very, very nutritious common plant and has yet to reveal its many benefits.  Thistle and Dandelion are used in herbal medicine and bring the bees.Weeds bring nutrition back to the soil when we have stripped it from natural minerals. Some have deep roots so they can take up the minerals deep from within the soil, bringing it to the surface. Some have shallow roots and keep the soil from eroding. You will see them work their wonders when you look at road works – the bare ground will quickly form a carpet of green and these are weeds starting their magic! If we take care and learn about Mother Nature, she has a purpose for these hard workers, and I hope we will treat these common plants with much more dignity and respect.

Well, we forget that they don’t need us – they grow anywhere, they are able to find nutrition from any waste area.

The Sow-Thistle is a well-known weed in every field and garden. It is a perennial, growing from 1 to 3 feet high, with hollow thick, branched stems full of milky juice, and thin, oblong leaves, more or less cut into (pinnatifid) with irregular, prickly teeth on the margins. The upper leaves are much simpler in form than the lower ones, clasping the stem at their bases.

Habitat: Spiny Sow Thistle propagates from re-seeding. It grows in many waste places, accepts various soils, most to slightly dry conditions, but needs full sun. Sow thistles got their name because they were fed to lactating pigs. They love them, as do rabbits which is why they are sometimes called Hare Thistles.

What weeds do you see often?? What benefit can you think of??

Happy gardening xxxx

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Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

May Day Blooms

I have been so amazed with the weather we had in May and early June. We had sunny & warm days and wet & windy days as well as snow-on-top of Table Mountain days!!! And this can all happen in one week!! The garden takes a real knock, though! The big confusion happens when the peach tree is dropping its autumn leaves and then, ….out of no where a PINK BUD! A flower??? NO!  I was not mistaken. It was there!!

Then my neighbour wanted to know what I fed my roses!!  I have never had such beautiful roses in May!  We are in early winter now here in the Southern Hemisphere, so this is surprising!! I still have a few rose buds – and it is so cold outside! Global warming?? Anyway, wanted to show you how pretty the roses are in my garden……

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Picture perfect!! And they smell so good too!

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Then the rest of the garden…..

[one_half]My Chasmanthe coming out[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Calibrachoa still pretty[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Passion fruit growing wild![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Trailing over my arches[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Beans – my winter crop[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Huge bush of young tomatoes[/one_half_last]

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And the two prettiest roses of them all!!! Jessica and Tamsin

– my grand daughters from my fabulous son, Brandon, and my lovely daughter-in-law, Nicky!

Happy gardening everyone xxxxxxx

Categories
Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

October clean up

It is always a good idea to have a family visit to motivate you to get the garden looking great! This got me energized and I have enjoyed the manual labour! Got all the muscle groups working! I ordered bags and bags of compost and bark for mulch and got my act together! It might not look like much from the photos but the whole garden was tackled!

I also have some really beautiful blooms to show you!

My roses are finally blooming!

Apple blossoms all over. I can’t wait for these to become golden delicious apples this year!

Love my Irises – the white are my favourite!

My little broody Tara – I can’t snap her out of this! There are NO eggs and she sits and sits on the nest! So I have closed the door – but this makes me more sad! She sits on the balcony! What to do!?

[one_half]Apple blossoms![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Fuchsias are looking so pretty[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Rose bush full of roses! Fab![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Buckets of Lavnder[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Wild corn flowers[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Chamomile are in bloom-Tea anyone?[/one_half_last]

Tea Tree bush is also in bloom

[one_half]Love the mix of peas with nasturtium flowers[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Chives in bloom[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Blueberries en masse[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Peaches growing! Yum![/one_half_last]

Angel’s fishing rods! Dierama – I love them!

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Favourite Figs for summer!

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[one_half]Everything composted and mulched![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Cut and cleared! lots of work[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Attention shows its colours![/one_half]

[one_half_last]First rose in the rose patch[/one_half_last]

What I see is so many more flowers than I planned for when I originally started my vegetable garden. However, they are all linked. Every bloom gives a treasure or a pleasure – they are all welcome now in my part of the world!

Happy spring gardening xxxx

 

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Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in October

My joy to see some sun and that the garden is looking springy for the first time this Spring. It still needs some loving care from the gardener, but in essence it is looking colourful and fun. There are areas where Mother Nature has used her own initiative and gathered a few seeds from last season and made a fabulous display! I spent less at the garden nursery these past months and used what I had – dividing and transplanting – leaving bulbs in the ground – and letting flowers self-seed! I have to admit I am more impressed with this type of gardening because it’s fun and costs nothing! Especially the Irises! They will eventually take over the back garden – how wonderful!!

Here’s what’s blooming in Barbie’s garden in October 2013

This Fleabane was a transplanted shoot – now already a small shrub!

 

Sweet dew drenched peas – love the delicate flowers!

A great companion – Nasturtiums. I plan to have lots of them growing! Great re-seeders and a marvelous salad addition!

Gentle blossoms of the quince tree!

Borage, dietes, sage , feverfew and blueberry blossoms in my bee patch!

A wild bunch of corn flowers – self seeded.

An unusual air plant – only blossoms this time of year! Found it at the back all dried out Now look. Just starting.

This raised bed is full of buds and seeds from last season – Ixias, Sparaxsis, Calendula, doing there own thing! Love their design!

Some more self-seeded flowers – Calendula! They can grow everywhere in my garden because of there wonderful healing properties! I am making tinctures and oils this year! In the middle of making my own facial products. Will keep you posted!

So very excited!! My very first passion flower – I missed the bloom! But I will get the next one! This grenadilla vine has been perking up now! I look forward to it climbing up this arch!

The back garden is looking colourful with the irises in the foreground – the bright yellow flowers of the Chinese cabbage and the bright orange of the nasturtiums. The quince tree in the back is so pretty with all the blossoms!

OK – my hubby needs to get cracking on the pool – needs a good clean and we will be ready for the warm weather! Just a bit of work in the garden still!!

About Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Join Carol and friends over at May Dreams Gardens to see what other gardeners around the world have blooming in October! And if you haven’t joined yet and have some blooms you’d like to show off, please join in the fun of showcasing your blooms! We’d love to see what YOU have blooming in your garden right now!

Thank you for joining us!

PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do!

Happy gardening xxx

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Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Garden Clutter

Ok – so now I am back in my garden and all I see is clutter and mishmash and an overgrown, totally out-of-control garden. Well, that is not so bad because I don’t particularly like too much order in my garden! They say that weeds are plants that haven’t learnt to grow in rows! But a happy companion growth is good!! All I decided to do today was record the, aah-hem! mess! I’m feeling less and less energetic! But I know that this is my weekend in the garden – I have earned it!! And if I don’t get the veggie seeds planted, I’ll have nothing to show this summer!  I have been sketching and drawing and planning and have a new vegetable patch design – I will post it to show you how I spend rainy days – I still think of my garden! And this design is all based on good companion planting!

Ok – here is the BEFORE photos ….. just to let you all know my garden gets really, really wild!!

[one_half]Peas in the Potato Patch[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Peaches in this jungle[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lots going on here[/one_half]

[one_half_last]This is my FIRST almond!![/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lemon juice for Africa!![/one_half]

[one_half_last]What!?  Figs again!?[/one_half_last]

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[one_half]Veggie patch going wild![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Chamomile growing wild with weeds[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Veggie patch needs lots of work-whew![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Wow! Front garden looking savage[/one_half_last]

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[one_half]How sad-needs some love![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Back garden chicken demolished![/one_half_last]

Wish me good luck and I will most definitely show the AFTER photos!!

Happy gardening xxxxx

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Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Growing up revisited

Just a quick post to show the new seedlings growing. I can see the difference between the kale and the chinese cabbage now with the second set of leaves (I am sure they have a more scientific name) coming through. I am excited about the kale – I saw a recipe with kale and it looked so scrumptious!  With so much nutritional value, it can only be a great addition to any plate! I also harvest a variety of lettuces daily for our lunch salad! No more red, juicy tomatoes, but I do have the small yellow Blondekopf tomatoes. Very sweet and there are always lots of them!

Here we have the kale

[one_half]Kale[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Chinese Cabbage[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Rocket[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Rocket in the raised bed[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Ok – I think this is more cabbage[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Potato plant emerging[/one_half_last]

[one_half]A necklace of Blondekopf tomatoes[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Some lettuce in a bald patch[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Oak leaf lettuce[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Rosemary[/one_half_last]

 

What else is growing in my garden that I haven’t talked about for awhile?

[one_third]Passion Fruit Vine[/one_third]

[one_third]Fennel[/one_third]

[one_third_last]Lemon Tree[/one_third_last]

[one_half]Bulbs in the raised beds-must be Sparaxis[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Ixia with Lupins[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Birdies love the birdbath[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Grasses are still attractive[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Fairylights in the Leopard tree[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Black pod of the Leopard Tree[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Powis Castle Artemesia in the rose bed[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Rosemary & fennel in the veggie patch[/one_half_last]

Lots still happening in my garden and as I can see, there is still a basketful of goodies I can collect from the veggie patch!

Have a Happy Gardening week xxxxxx

 

 

 

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Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day in my winter July 2013

I did not want to miss another Bloom Day! There is always something blooming here and wanted to join in again, so no one will think that I have closed my garden gate. Even though there is not a lot to see, I love the blooms that are coming through now – my favourite Borage and the sunny Calendula daisy. The worst of winter is passing and the days are getting longer. We’ve had soggy days and sun-drenched days – bone-chilling days and balmy days!  Winter days are for wrapping up warmly and watching the garden sleep. But I can even boast growing a few seedlings! I look forward to visiting all the summery gardens this July Bloom Day!

Here’s what’s blooming in Barbie’s garden in July 2013

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[one_half]Chrysanthemum[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Gerbera[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Potato Bush[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Euphorbia[/one_half_last]

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[one_half]Borage[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Snow Drop[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Fuchsia[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Barrow of blommies[/one_half_last]

[one_half]New Lupins[/one_half]

[one_half_last]More calendula[/one_half_last]

About Garden Bloggers Bloom Day

Join Carol and friends over at May Dreams Gardens to see what other gardeners around the world have blooming in July! And if you haven’t joined yet and have some blooms you’d like to show off, please join in the fun of showcasing your blooms! We’d love to see what YOU have blooming in your garden right now!

Thank you for joining us!

PS: Please join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter – we’ll be so happy if you do!

Happy gardening xxx

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Annuals Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Dull garden?

All seems bleak and colourless when you are forced to stay in bed with a bad flu. It has gripped all I know here in the Western Cape and with the weather as miserable as it has been, I did not have a hint of guilt. But the garden has taken a beating and after the hail storm, I though I would have nothing left. I though all would be dull and lifeless but to my surprise, not all was lost (to the weather and the chickens!) I have been able to pick something from the garden and there were some happy blooms longing for someone to take notice ……. !

my new feverfew

Using quince sticks to hold up the granadilla plant – or the other way around! Chasmanthe and Powis Castle surrounds.

[one_half]Tree bursting with lemons![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Guavas on the way – lots this year[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Tomatoes still growing[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Chillies always available[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Violas love the cool and the rain[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Love the broad beans from last year[/one_half_last]

Tansy always a useful plant to have in the garden – best pesticide!

[one_half]Gerbera never fails! Happy flowers![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Fully at home here! That’s Tara.[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The winter lilly is coming back[/one_half]

[one_half_last]My blonde tomatoes producing still[/one_half_last]

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[one_half]Swiss chard always welcome[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Veggie patch abit damaged, but producing[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Have new beginnings on the way[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Ripening on the sunny back deck[/one_half_last]

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So you see, through all the dull rainy and wintery weather, the garden still has a lot of magic!!

 

Happy gardening xxx

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Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous Perenniels

Autumn colours

I was inspired today!! I looked out of my window this morning and the recent fresh rains brought out such beautiful Autumn colours! So I took my camera and explored the wet garden. I found the most interesting perspectives and saw my garden in a different light! Lots of colour that I thought I had lost…

 

[one_half]Lupins in a plant pot[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Minty green and edible too[/one_half_last]

[one_half]My basket makes for a pretty picture[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Ipomoea brings great colour to the garden[/one_half_last]

Sweet yarrow flowers are a favourite of mine.

[one_half]Garden gnomes are all around[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Artemesia also a big favourite[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The new chickens are quite at home[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The guavas – a winter fruit[/one_half_last]

The gorgeous Ice Cream bush – love the changing colours

Euphorbia – delicate and wintery looking

These are a new addition – not sure, but I think it is feverfew!

[one_half]The ground well-mulched[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Lemon tree is bursting![/one_half_last]

[one_half]A fig leaf in full autumn colours[/one_half]

[one_half_last]I love this foliage-forget the name[/one_half_last]

Fallen leaves are everywhere!

The black pod on the Leopard Tree!

[one_half]Peach tree[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Quince tree[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Blueberry bush[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Pruned and ready for winter-Gaura[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Roses are looking beautiful[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Full bloom and smells just great![/one_half_last]

[one_half]Leopard Tree bloom[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Flowers in the wheelbarrow[/one_half_last]

The Artemesia – Powis Castle is a huge mass – I love it!

[one_half]My Grass Feature still interesting[/one_half]

[one_half_last]My dry river bed has amazing character[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The birdbath[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Bucket of weeds-very interesting[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Grasses still beautiful[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Love the colour of this grass[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Salvia Hot Lips are a talking point[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Easy growing and always flowering[/one_half_last]

I hope you enjoyed the wander around the garden as much as I have!

Not going to do much gardening…… but I am going to enjoy the new perspective!

Happy Gardening xxxxx